Key Facts

• The amendment targets proposed new section 39F of the Water Industry Act 1991.
• Clause 75 amends the Water Industry Act, which became law 29 years ago.
• Changing 'may' to 'must' would require the Secretary of State to make regulations for procedures on preparing and publishing water resources management plans, drought plans, and joint proposals.
• Amendment proposed to clause 75, page 66, line 22.
• The amendment aims to include representation for those likely to be affected by water resource proposals or drought plans.
• Existing powers in section 37B of the Water Industry Act 1991 are being replaced by new section 39F.
• Amendment 130 would ensure consultation rights for stakeholders.
• Clause 75 enables Ministers to set out which bodies are to be consulted on the preparation of plans under regulations.
• The Interpretation Act 1978 defines 'persons' as including a body corporate or unincorporate, covering representative bodies.
• 200,000 instances of raw sewage discharge in UK waterways occurred last year.
• 3,000 discharges were reported in UK coastal waters between May and September.
• Only 16% of UK waterways meet good ecological status.
• A petition with 40,000 signatures calls for an end to sewage pollution.
• Sewage accounts for 55% of rivers failing to meet good ecological status.
• Water companies have committed £4.5 billion towards environmental improvements between now and 2025.
• The current rate of progress could take over 200 years to reach the Government’s 25-year environment plan target.
• The amendment would insert language into section 94A(3) of the 1991 Act, addressing water quality and discharge impact in drainage and sewerage plans.
• More than 200,000 releases of raw sewage into rivers occurred last year.
• Discharge spills came to an incredible 1.53 million hours across nine English water companies in the previous year.
• The Minister met chief executives of the 15 water companies in September and called on them to take further action to protect the environment.
• Clause 76 requires sewerage undertakers to prepare drainage and sewerage management plans addressing relevant environmental risks.
• DEFRA Ministers will have a failsafe power to direct companies if their performance is inadequate.
• Event duration monitoring gadgets are being installed on the vast majority of combined inland and coastal sewer overflows by 2025, covering approximately 13,000 out of 15,000 overflows.
• The storm overflow taskforce includes the EA, DEFRA, Ofwat, Consumer Council for Water, Blueprint for Water, and Water UK.
• Proposals from the taskforce are expected by spring.
• The new environmental land management scheme aims to work with farmers to reduce pollution.
• Amendment 199 aims to change 'may' to 'must' in clause 76 of the Environment Bill.
• Clause 76 amends the Water Industry Act 1991 by adding new section 94C(3).
• The amendment seeks to ensure that water companies are required to consult on drainage and sewerage management plans.
• Sewerage undertakers have the duty to prepare drainage and sewerage management plans under proposed new section 94A of the Water Industry Act 1991.
• Ministers require flexibility on when and how procedural requirements are given effect.
• The Consumer Council for Water is a representative body that will be included in consultations.
• James Gray is proposing amendments to Clause 80.
• The amendments aim to change '2028' to '2021'.
• Amendments affect page 78, line 1 and line 34; page 79, line 7.
• Clause 80 of the Bill amends the Water Resources Act 1991 to improve water abstraction management.
• The changes proposed in the Bill will apply to licences revoked or varied on or after January 2028.
• Four out of nine companies assessed by the Environment Agency require improvement due to poor performance.
• In 25 years, England’s water supply may no longer meet demand according to recent warnings.
• The Government targets for good status of waters need to be achieved by 2027 at the latest.
• WaterAid's experience highlights the damaging effects of over-abstraction on communities globally.
• The Government’s 2017 abstraction plan commits to protecting the water environment.
• Since 2014, 31 billion litres of water has been returned to the environment and an additional 456 billion litres recovered from unused or underused licences.
• The implementation date is set for 2028 to allow time for local solutions and a transfer to new environmental permitting regime.
• Not a single lake or river in England has achieved good chemical status according to recent tests by the Environment Agency.
• There is public support for environmental protection which Anderson believes the Committee will acknowledge.
• The amendment would change the current negative procedure to a super-affirmative procedure as defined in section 18 of the Legislative and Regulatory Reform Act 2006.